The Hull (Paperback or Softback)

In 2002, as Australia debates the arrival of asylum seekers by boat, fifteen-year-old Billie is fighting a battle of her own.
When the child welfare system separates her from her younger brother Ryan, Billie steals a government car and heads north, following rumours of Indonesian fishing boats landing on Australia's remote coastline.
Determined to escape a future being decided by others, she stows away aboard a fishing vessel smuggling asylum seekers to Australia. Far from home, Billie finds herself among strangers who have lost everything, yet still hold onto hope.
As the journey unfolds, she is forced to confront what family, belonging and home truly mean.
Set against the backdrop of one of Australia's most divisive political moments, The Hull is a powerful novel about trauma, displacement, resilience and the enduring search for connection.